Lines
by WordStained
Summary: After managing to get himself arrested and locked in a cell with Red X, their conversation makes Robin begin to realize just how much they had in common and just how different they could be at the same time. Red X always served as his biggest reminder of just how blurred the lines between good and bad could be, after all. T to be safe (language).


Summary: After managing to get himself arrested and locked in a cell with Red X, Robin begins to realize just how much they had in common and just how different they could be at the same time. Red X always served as his biggest reminder of just how blurred the lines between good and bad could be, after all. T to be safe (language).

A/N: Here it is, my first Teen Titans Fic! Though it was not the first one in my head, it just seemed like a good place to start. Just a one-shot. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or its characters or Batman or _its_ characters. Long story short: I own nothing.

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**Lines**

A lot of things come to mind whenever I think about Red X. I think of one of the biggest mistakes of my life, one that almost cost me my friends, my morals, and my clean conscience. I think of a rival, someone who was smart enough to get past my security system and dumb enough to steal what they found there. I think of an enigma, a mystery I couldn't quite seem to crack. Mostly, I think about someone who doesn't like to play the hero, but will if he knows it's for a good enough reason. I don't like to admit it, but Red X is a lot like me. If I were a self-serving criminal, that is.

But how I ended up sitting, unmasked, in a jail cell with him, also unmasked, is beyond me. Okay, in retrospect, trying to stop him from robbing a jewelry store while I was dresses as a civilian might not have been the best idea, but it would have taken too long for the rest of the Titans to get there. Red is a slippery one, and I wasn't going to let him get away that easily. Unfortunately, that only served to make me look like an accomplice. The only bright side is that the security cameras were offline, I was wearing gloves which meant they wouldn't find finger prints, there were (as far as I know) no eye-witnesses, and when the cops caught up with us we were a block from the scene of the crime and Red hadn't managed to get his hands on any jewelry. There was absolutely no evidence that could incriminate me. That also meant there was no evidence that could incriminate _him _either, but I was okay with that.

Of course, Red knew who I was as soon as I swooped in. I don't know why, but I didn't worry about him blowing my secret. I would say 'thief's honor' but... And as soon as his mask was pulled off by our arresting officers, I knew exactly who he was. I recognized him from a Christmas card Alfred sent. Since I already saw his face, he didn't really care about telling me his name: Jason Todd. Naturally, he already knew my name. He was, after all, Batman's replacement sidekick after I left. At least for a little while.

"You know," I said after nearly an hour of silence, "it's kind of funny."

"What is?" He didn't really sound interested, just bored. I didn't care either way. Conversation was conversation.

"Think about it: under different circumstances, our roles could have easily been reversed. You could have been the hero, and I could have been the thief." He snorted in laughter, realizing just how true my words were. "And I guess now I understand you a little better."

"You really think so?" I nodded, thoughtful.

"You once told me that, just because you don't like playing the hero, it didn't mean that you don't know how. I get that now. I'll admit, I'm a bit curious though. What made you turn from crime-fighter to crime-commiter?" He shrugged.

"I got tired of doing what was expected of me. You already said it for me: I don't like playing the hero." I nodded, not quite sure if I really understood. Maybe it was my strong moral compass talking, but I couldn't see the appeal to theft. I once heard that crime was like a drug. It's an addiction. Maybe Red started and found he couldn't stop. I could understand that. I can honestly say that there's a certain thrill to theft that's unlike anything else.

"It just goes to show how blurred the lines between right and wrong can get. You know, almost every time I see you – or rather the suit that _you stole_ – I can't help but be reminded of that." It was weird, I decided, talking so openly to a rival like Red. But he probably understood better than anyone what I meant. He _did _used to be Robin, after all. Maybe it was some kind of kindred spirit thing, not that I was about to say _that_ out loud. He would laugh me out of Jump.

"Okay, hero," he said, leaning forward, hands on his knees and fingers interlocking. His face was dead serious. "Let me ask you a question: do you think it's better to do what you know is wrong for the right reasons, or to do what you know is right for the wrong reasons?" I thought about that, leaning forward to match his position. That was a tough question. On one hand, you're bad but you have good intentions. On the other, you're good but you don't really mean it. But, looking at him, my answer was pretty clear.

"Well, if I can't do what's right for the right reason," I began, "then I have to say I would do what I know is wrong for the right reasons. Your criminal persona is proof enough." He nodded, but said nothing. He wanted more explanation. "When I made the Red X suit, I was kind of in a bad place. I was bound and determined to get Slade, and I didn't care what it cost me. So, I stole the things he was looking for to get closer to him. In my mind, that was a damn good reason. By the time I realized my plan didn't work, I was so close to losing everything. I lost my friends' trust and I almost lost myself, if that makes sense. Even if I regret making all those bad choices, even if I would make sure it would never happen if I was given half a chance to change it, I still can't say I won't ever do something like that again if I have a reason to."

"Interesting..."

"What about you?" I asked, raising an eye-brow. He stared at me for a long moment, face unreadable. I half expected he wouldn't say a word.

"Well, I don't think I can honestly say I'd do either. I can't think of a time when I did something that was wrong for a _good _reason. You already know that I do whatever benefits _me_."

"But you're not above doing what's right for the right reason," I told him definitively. It was his turn to raise an eye-brow. I wondered if he was always so skeptical. Wouldn't surprise me too much.

"What makes you say that?" I grinned and, apparently, he didn't much care for the look.

"I've seen you do it. When Chang was going to destroy the city you stepped up to help, not because you couldn't find somewhere else to go be a criminal, but because you couldn't stand there and let thousands of people get hurt. And when Ding Dong Daddy stole my briefcase, you took out the other racers, not because you thought you could overpower me and win, and not just because you thought it made us even, but because you knew how much it meant for me to get it back."

"You think so, huh? Well, you might be right about the thing with Chang, but I only rigged the race for you because you saved my life. You think I was gonna owe you any favors longer than necessary?" I laughed a little. The corners of Red's mouth tugged up just a bit. "Just curious, though; what _was _in the briefcase?" I waited a moment, not sure if he was being serious. He was.

"Just a photo album." He snorted again.

"Seriously? All that trouble for a damn _photo album_?" I shrugged.

"It had pictures of me with my parents. And with Bruce." The realization of just how significant that was showed on his face. "Couldn't let _that _fall into the wrong hands. Not that it would have done _you_ much good." Especially considering that he had been sworn to secrecy just like I had. He wouldn't dare sell it.

"You're right, by the way," he added after a moment of silence.

"You bet I am... What am I right about?" He laughed a little, shaking his head slightly. I grinned. Maybe he wasn't the only one who was a little vain. Or perhaps 'cocky' would be a better word...

"That I'm not above doing what's right for the right reasons. But that begs the question: are you above doing what's wrong for the wrong reasons?" I thought about this. Was I?

"I like to think I am, but I'm actually not so sure. You could argue that my decision to become Red X was for a pretty bad reason but, like I already said, at the time I thought it was a good one. I guess I've never been in a situation where I had to do something that I know is wrong besides that. Well, there _was_ another thing with Slade, but lives were at stake there..."

"And if you found yourself in another situation where bad deeds were calling?" I shrugged.

"I guess I'd have to be in it to know for sure. I'd like to say that I wouldn't do it unless I had a damn good reason, but I just don't know." Red nodded. "But until that day comes, I guess I'll just have to try my hardest to walk that line between right and wrong."

"I can respect that, even if I can't say I'll do the same," he said. "But you're a good guy. You'll figure it out."

"Wow, I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me," I said with mock affection. He rolled his eyes, but I saw the little grin he tried to hide. Then I heard footsteps coming down the hall. We both sat straight up, eyes glued to the steel bars in front of us. An officer stopped in front of our cell and began unlocking the door. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"You boys are free to go," he said in a gruff voice. We both practically flew out and followed him back down the hall.

"So I take it you can't make any charges stick?" Red asked innocently. I chuckled under my breath. I was actually quite surprised they weren't charging him with dozens of other crimes. Maybe he was better than I gave him credit for. The officer's ears turned an alarming shade of red.

"So it seems. But you'll understand if we keep the... suit, you were wearing. I'm not quite sure it's... legal." I smirked. Technically, it was. Except for the explosives. And the Xenothium Still, Red agreed wholeheartedly that it was for the best. I had no doubt that it would turn up missing within a week. They hadn't been able to get our names and, as no charges were filed, we weren't fingerprinted. I'm sure they would also experience some technical failures with their cameras around the time the suit goes missing. Things happen, right?

Everything else we had on us at the time was returned to us and we were escorted outside. Before we set off in different directions, Red grabbed my arm and said, "Promise me Bruce isn't going to find out about this." I grinned.

"Only if he doesn't find out that I was arrested and almost spent the night in county." He grinned back.

"Deal."

"Deal."

We shook on it and walked away, each with a better understanding of the other, neither sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.


End file.
